Frequently it is necessary to secure a vehicle onto the flatbed of a load carrying platform such as a railcar.
Previously, it has been known to secure a vehicle onto the railcar load carrying platform by preventing the movement of the wheels through use of chocks which are placed at one or both ends of one or more tires of the vehicle. It has also been known to use a tire harness positioned over and around a portion of the tire, with ends of the harness connected to the chocks. Previous prior art systems are expensive to manufacture, difficult to use, and, in some cases, require twists in the webbing of the securing harness, and are difficult to install. Furthermore, the prior art systems are subject to potential failure.
In a previous patent by the same inventor herein, U.S. Pat. No. 6,530,729, a system and method is disclosed employing anchor channels in a load carrying platform and having first and second upper flanges over the respective channels. Notches are provided in the first and second upper flanges of the anchor channels. Right- and left-handed integral winch and chock assemblies are provided, each of the assemblies having a rotating lock mechanism for engaging the flanges of a channel and comprising a rotatable plate in the shape of a rectangle. Spaced lugs are provided on the right and left hand winch and chock assemblies. The winch and chock assemblies are aligned at both ends of the tire and the respective lugs are aligned so that the lugs fit within the respective notches at a desired location on one of the anchor channels. The lock mechanism is then rotated to rotate the rectangular plate to lock the respective winch and chock assemblies to the anchor channel. The lock mechanism provided a vertical restraint, and the lugs in combination with the notches and the anchor channel provided a longitudinal restraint, for the respective first and second winch and chock assemblies. One end of the tire harness is then connected to a mandrel of one of the winch and chock assemblies and the other end is connected to a mandrel of the other winch and chock assembly. The mandrel of one or both of the winch and chock assemblies are then turned to tighten the harness on the tire,